Botany
· Twining perennial herbs, height reaching
1 m. Nodes prominent, stem reddish, glabrous, spineless.
· Leaves: alternate; ovate to oblong shape, 5-10 cm long,
3 cm wide, midrib violet-red colored, upper surface of leaf with
inverted "V" shaped spot. Stipules sheathing on the
stem just below the petioles, membranaceous, glabrous with no
cilia at the margin. (Other polygonum spp. have ciliated membranaceous
stipules.)
· Flowers: small, white or light reddish in color, arranged
in heads (capitate); inflorescence axillary. Calyx 5, enlarging
when fruiting, transparent to white.
· Fruits: berries, globose in shape. Enclosed in the enlarged
and fleshy calyx at maturity. Seeds small, black, fruits edible,
sour tasting.
Distribution
In thickets and forests at
medium and higher altitudes 1,200 to 2,000 meters throughout
the Philippines.
Parts
utilized:
· Entire plant.
· Collected the year round.
· Rinse, cut into pieces, sun-dry.
Chemical constituents
and properties
Cooling, mildly acidic.
Contains hecogenin, aurantiamide , stigmastane-3,6-ione, and 25-r-spirost-4-ene-3,12-dione,
which are antiinflammatory and antiallergic. (*1)
Relieves gastrointestinal disorders, antipyretic, deobstruent, and anti-infectious.
Tonic,
vulnerary, antiscorbutic.
Uses
Folkloric
· Decoction of dried material:
Used for dysentery, gastroenteritis, bloody stool, indigestion, hepatitis,
tonsillitis, laryngopharyngitis.
· Poultice of dried material for furuncle and abscesses.
· Decoction as external wash for dermatitis, eczema, pruritus.
· Poultice or decoction as external wash used for sprains, bruises,
poisonous snake bites.
· In China, used
to treat worms and scorpion bites.
Availability
Wild-crafted. |
